A REMINDER OF FAB WORLD CAPTAIN SCARLET PUPPETS

I think it’s fair to say that Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons is almost as popular as Thunderbirds when it comes to people’s favourite Anderson puppet series. There’s certainly a lot of interest when I post anything regarding the good Captain. At last year’s Fab Worlds there was plenty of both original and excellent replicas on display. This original Captain Blue appears to be everyone’s favourite, although this replica studio size Captain Scarlet looks good and could fool most but the experts.

The villain of the piece, Captain Black, looking suitably Mysteronized with his original ‘pink’ eyes due to age. This is an original ‘frowner’ head. The puppet also sports original hands.

This is an original screen-used ‘normal’ head of Lieutenant Green, who also has original hands.

I believe this is the only known surviving screen-used head of Captain Ochre.

The ‘grinner’ head of Captain Grey, whose likeness was apparently based on Sean Connery.

A 'normal' Doctor Fawn.

An original ‘ smiler’ Captain Magenta. A 'smiler' has a moving mouth, while a 'grinnerhas a fixed open mouthed grin.

An 'under-control' Doctor Fawn, with darker skin tones for a later appearance in Joe 90.

This original screen used head is another of those ‘revamp puppets’ I mentioned on my previous Secret Service post.  It made its first appearance in the Captain Scarlet episode, ‘Lunarville 7’, as the character, Orson. It was later modified with darker skin for an appearance in the Joe 90 episode, ‘King for a Day’, as ‘Driver’.  It made two appearances in Captain Scarlet, five in Joe 90, and two in The Secret Service.

The puppet behind is best known for its appearance as Frazer in ‘Crater 101’, although it did first appear as Captain Hassel in ‘Point 783’. It went on to be seen in two other Captain Scarlet episodes, five Joe 90’s, and two Secret Services.  

This revamp puppet first appeared in Captain Scarlet episode, ‘Model Spy’ as Andre Verdain. It was later modified with greying temples for the Joe 90 episode, ‘HI-Jacked.  It made two appearances in Captain Scarlet, seven in Joe 90, and three in The Secret Service.

This puppet was the Captain of the U.S.S. Panther II in the Captain Scarlet episode, ‘ White as Snow’, although it might be more recognizable to fans as Selkirk in the Joe 90 episode,’ Relative Danger’.  It appeared in two Captain Scarlet episodes, three Joe 90 episodes, and three Secret Service episodes.

There were several other puppets on display, Captain Brown above who only appeared as that character in two episodes, returned in other episodesof Captain Scarlet. He was the 'mysteronized' villain in 'Renegade Rocket', 'Noose of Ice' and 'Codename Europa'.It also turned up as three other minor characters in the series.

 This puppet, immaculately dressed as a Spectrum Security Guard here, makes several other appearances right up to and including The Secret Service.It is probably best known as 'Kruger', in the Captain Scarlet episode, 'Heart of New York'.

CLASSIC JOHNNY LIGHTNING LOST IN SPACE

Here's a few photos I took a while back of the four Johnny Lightning classic Lost in Space models that appeared in 1998. The Jupiter 2, Space Pod, Chariot and the B-9 Robot.

DINKY SHADOCAR

A few old photos of my restored Dinky code 3 Ed Straker's car.

THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

I note that the first episode of the 1971 UK TV series, 'The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes' is being shown at 9.00 pm on Talking Pictures TV tonight.  The episode, which is titled, 'A Message from the Deep Sea', might well be of interest to Blake's Seven fans as one is the cast is Paul Darrow, who plays Dr Hart.

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, as the name suggests was a series which highlighted some of the other crime fiction that was published during Victorian and Edwardian times, competing with Conan Doyle's enduring creation.

This first episode stars John Neville (who incidentally played Holmes in the Tigon film, A Study in Terror) as Dr Thorndyke, a professor in Medical Jurisprudence who concerns himself purely with forensic science. Dr Hart (played by Paul Darrow), a former student of Thorndyke and assistant to the Police Surgeon is called to a murder scene. The Police Surgeon is temporarily unavailable and the case rests uneasily on Hart's shoulders. Hart persuades Thorndyke to take an interest in what at first appears to be an open and shut case, but Thorndyke isn't convinced and must use his scientific knowledge in an attempt to prevent an innocent person going to the gallows.

 As with any anthology series some episodes are better than others, but overall it's well worth a watch.

FAB WORLD - THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

With just one week to go I know there's quite a few Anderson fans going to make the trip to the Leicester's National Space Centre next Saturday and Sunday to experience The Fab Worlds of Anderson, probably many more than last year's event.

I'm planning on going with my trusty Nikon to take a few snaps, so for those who can't make it, can at least get to see some of the many excellent exhibits at some point here on the blog.

To get folk in the mood here's a few photo reminders I took at last year's event.

Most of the Anderson's earlier series were represented. To begin with here's just a few Space:1999 models  on display, courtesy of Chris Potter, Simon Rhodes, David Sisson and R James Ashton.

Four of the five Angels from the huge display of puppets.

The fab worlds of UFO, courtesy of R James Ashton, Paul Gray, David Sisson and Studio 2.

Original puppets from Joe 90 and The Secret Service.

Models from Thunderbirds, Stingray and Fireball XL5, courtesy of  Ben ten Westenend,  Studio 2 and R James Ashton.

For those fans who like some of the later series, here's some models from Terrahawks and Space Precinct courtesy of David Sissons.

I've said it before but I think its worth saying again, that I'm always grateful that all those private collectors and modelmakers who are prepared to take the trouble to display all these fantastic items at these and similar events. Although I've quite rightly given a few namechecks, if I know who they are, to some of  the models in the photos, one or two folk prefer to stay in background , so  many thanks to them also.

Hopefully, I'll see some of you next weekend.